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THE COMMON PRACTICE IN FORCE MUST BE HIGHLY ESTEEMED
5 The Supreme Pontiff, Pius X, declared, "The custom of not admitting
children to Confession or of never giving them absolution, when they have
arrived at the use of reason, must be wholly condemned" (Decree Quam
singulari, VII, AAS, 1910, p. 583). One can scarcely have regard for the right
that baptised children have of confessing their sins, if at the beginning of
the age of discretion they are not prepared and gently led to the sacrament of
Penance.
One should also keep in mind the usefulness of Confession, which retains ifs
efficacy even when only venial sins are in question, and which gives an
increase of grace and of charity, increases the child’s good dispositions for
receiving the Eucharist, and also helps to perfect the Christian life. Hence,
if appears the usefulness of Confession cannot be dismissed in favour of those
forms 0f penance or those ministries of the word, by which the virtue of
penance is aptly fostered in children, and which can be fruitfully practised
together with the sacrament of Penance, when a suitable catechetical
preparation has been made. The pastoral experience of the Church, which is
illustrated by many examples even in our day, teaches hem how much the
so-called age of discretion is suited for effecting that the children’s
baptismal grace, by means of a well-prepared reception 0f the sacraments of
Penance and of the Eucharist, shows forth ifs first fruits, which are certainly
to be augmented afterwards by means of a continued catechesis.
Having weighed ail these points, and keeping in mind the common and general
practice which per se cannot be derogated without the approval of the Apostolic
See, and also having heard the Conferences of Bishops, the Holy See judges if
fitting that the practice now in force in the Church of putting Confession
ahead of first Communion should be retained. This in no way prevents this
custom from being carried out in various ways, as, for instance, by having a
communal penitential celebration precede or follow the reception of the
sacrament of Penance.
The Holy See is not unmindful of the special conditions that exist in
various countries, but if exhorts the bishops in this important matter not to
depart from the practice in force without having first entered info
communication with the Holy See in a spirit of hierarchical communion. Non
should they in any way allow the pastors or educators or religious institutes
to begin or to continue to abandon the practice in force.
In regions, however, where new practices have already been introduced which
depart notably from the pristine practice, the Conferences of Bishops will wish
to submit these experiments to a new examination. If after that they wish to
continue these experiments for a longer time, they should not do so unless they
have first communicated with the Holy See, which will willingly hear them, and
they are at one mind with the Holy See.
The Supreme Pontiff, PAUL VI, by a letter of his Secretariat of State, n.
177335, dated March 18, 1971, approved this General Directory together with the
Addendum, confirmed if by his authority and ordered if to be published.
Rome, April 11, 1971, Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord.
John J. Cardinal Wright, Prefect
Pietro Paiazzini, Secretary
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